Boring type continuous mining machine



July 7, 1964 J. GONSKI BORING TYPE comxuuous MINING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1962 INVENTOR. Jose oh Gonskl' July 7, 1964 J. GONSKI BORING TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1962 Q INVENTQR. I Jose oh onsk/ BY Z; a l m %o, M!

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J. GONSKI BORING TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE July 7, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 1962 w W o 6 In I. m

United States Patent 3,14%,121 BORING TYlPE CONTKNUOUS MINING MACHINE Joseph Gonski, Chicago, 111., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 9, 1962, Ser. No. 193,405 4 Claims. (Cl. 29957) This invention relates to improvements in continuous mining machines of the boring type and more particularly relates to a continuous mining machine adapted for mining thin seams of coal.

A principal object of the invention is to improve upon the boring types of continuous mining machines heretofore used in mining thin seams of coal, by providing the machine with a central boring head between outer boring heads and so constructed and arranged that it will not only feed back its own material onto the conveyor of the machine, but will also feed back the material mined by the outer boring heads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a continuous mining machine of the type in which the cutting capacity of the machine for a given cutting height is increased to the extent necessary to make it practical to mine thin seams of coal, by spacing the usual boring heads a relatively wide distance apart and by providing a central boring head between these boring heads, including a scroll extending substantially to the conveyor of the machine to load the mined material onto the conveyor.

A still further object of the invention is to improve upon continuous mining machines having three boring heads, by arranging the boring heads to cut in intersecting paths, and by utilizing a scroll for the central boring head and so driving the scroll and arranging the boring arms of the outer boring heads, to pass into the valleys of the scroll during rotation of the outer boring heads.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a continuous mining machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with the discharge conveyor broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a front end view of the continuous mining machine shown in FIGURE 1, looking toward the front end of the machine, and showing the machine positioned in a mine to perform a mining operation;

FIGURE 3 is a partial fragmentary longitudinal sectional View taken substantially along line IIIIII of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the cutting patterns of the boring heads.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown in FIGURE 1, a continuous mining machine of the boring type having a mobile main frame 10, supported on laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices 11, which serve to tram the machine from working place to work place and to feed outer boring heads 12 and a central boring head 13 into the working face of a mine. The continuous traction tread devices 11 are of a conventional form and-are driven from individual motors and speed reducers (not shown) in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, so not herein shown or described further.

The mining machine also includes a cutter frame structure 15 supported on and extending ahead of the main frame 10. The cutter frame structure 15 is vertically adjustable with respect to the main frame and angularly adjustable about axes extending transversely and longitudinally of the main frame by the operation of the fluid pressure jacks 16, and no part of the present invention so not herein shown or described further.

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The cutter frame structure 15 has a plurality of outer hubs 17, 17 and a central hub 18 projecting forwardly therefrom, forming supports for the respective boring heads 12 and 13.

The machine also has a conveyor 19 extending therealong from a position adjacent the ground at the front of the machine and just rearwardly of a transverse support 20 for a lower trimmer bar 21, extending substantially the width of the machine and rearwardly of the boring heads 12, 12 and 13, and forming a guide means for a continuous trimmer chain 23. The conveyor 19 extends along a throat 24 formed in the cutter frame 15 between the boring heads 12, 12 and in alignment with the central boring head 13, and beneath a bottom Wall 25 of said cutter frame.

The conveyor 19 is shown as being a convention form of single strand endless chain and flight conveyor of the laterally flexible type, and extends along the central portion of the main frame Iii beyond the rear end thereof, and is laterally moved from side-to-side to discharge the mined material to either side of the longitudinal center line of the machine by operation of the usual hydraulic jacks 27. The hydraulic jacks are pivotally connected between opposite sides of a widened portion 29 of the bottom plate for the conveyor 19 and opposite side walls of a laterally swingable trough section 30 for the conveyor.

An upper trimmer bar 31 is mounted on the cutter frame 15 in advance of the forward end thereof in vertical alignment with the lower trimmer bar 21, on hydraulic jacks 32. The hydraulic jacks 32 are mounted on the front face of a cutter frame 15 and serve to vertically adjust said trimmer bar with respect to said cutter frame, and to hold said trimmer bar in position during the cutting operation. 7

The trimmer chain 23 is trained along the lower trimmer bar 21 and around corner sprockets 33 at opposite ends of said trimmer bar and inwardly therefrom. The run of the trimmer chain 23 shown in FIGURE 2 as being the right hand run of said trimmer chain is trained around an idler sprocket 35 and outwardly and upwardly therefrom around a corner sprocket 36 to and along the trimmer bar 31. A corner sprocket 36 at the opposite end of the upper trimmer bar 31 serves to change the direction of said trimmer chain at the end of said trimmer bar as it moves along said trimmer bar. A drive sprocket 39 is positioned at the opposite side of the central boring head 13 from the idler sprocket 35 and serves to drive said trimmer chain along the upper and lower trimmer bars 21 and 31 to cut the depending and upstanding cusps between the boring heads 12 and 13.

Each boring head 12 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 as having a diametrically extending boring arm 40 extending equal distances from opposite sides of a hub 42 of the boring head and shown as having telescopic arms 41 extending therefrom. The telescopic arms 41 are held in fixed relation with respect to the boring arm 40 and are extensibly and retractibly moved with respect to said boring arm by a conventional form of adjusting mechanism, which is no part of the present invention so need not herein be shown or described.

Each boring head also has a central annular cutter 43 projecting forwardly of the boring arm 40, coaxial with the axis of rotation thereof, and having cutter bits 44 mounted thereon and projecting forwardly therefrom for cutting an annular kerf adjacent the center of the seam.

The telescopic arms 41 have cutter supports 45 projecting forwardly therefrom, and of an arcuate form in front end view, conforming to the arc of travel of said cutter supports. The cutter supports 45 have the usual cutter bits 46 projecting therefrom. The bits 44- and 46 are pitched to cut annular kerfs intersecting the bore made by 3 the central boring head 13 upon rotation of the boring heads in a direction from the roof to the floor of the mine and toward the center of the machine.

Each cutter support 45 has a plow 47 extending inwardly from the advance end portion thereof toward the center of rotation of the boring head. The plow 47 extends angularly inwardly from the advance end of the cutter support 45 toward the telescopic arm 41, and is pitched to progress the mined material into and along a bore 48 cut by the central boring head 13, to be progressed by said central boring head onto the conveyor 19.

The central boring head 13 projects a substantial distance forwardly of the boring heads 12 and forms a pilot boring cutter. The central boring head 13, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, comprises a sleeve 50 extending from the hub 18 and mounted on and driven from a shaft 51 journalled within said hub. The sleeve 50 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 as having a bar 53 extending across the forward end thereof, equal distances from the center thereof and having cutter bit supporting blocks 54 spaced therealong and extending forwardly therefrom. The blocks 54 have the usual cutter bits 55 mounted therein and extending forwardly therefrom.

A scroll 56 in the form of a helical vane is shown as extending from the bar 53 along the sleeve 50 in a helical path to a position rearwardly of the arms 40 of the boring heads 12, 12, and terminating adjacent the forward end portion of the hub 18 and closely adjacent the conveyor 19 and throat 24, for progressing the mined material to said throat and conveyor.

The scroll 56 has cutter blocks 57 mounted on the advance face thereof and projecting from the edge thereof. The cutter blocks 57 carry the usual cutter bits 59. The bar 53 of the central boring head 13 is of sufficient length to position the outer cutter bits 59 to cut in circumferential paths of suflicient diameter to intersect the cutting paths of the cutter bits 46 of the boring arms 41 and the cutting paths of the upper and lower trimmer bars 31 and 21 respectively. In a similar manner, the cutting diameters of the outer cutter bits 59 on the scroll 60 are sufficient to position said outer cutter bits to cut in paths intersected by the cutting paths of the cutter bits 46 on the boring arms 41 and the cutter chain 23 guided in the upper and lower trimmer bars 31 and 21 respectively.

It may be seen from FIGURES 2 and 4 that the diametral boring arms 40 of the outer boring heads 12 are positioned with the boring arm 40 of one boring head trailing the boring arm 40 of the opposite boring head by 90, and that the cutter supports 45 project a substantial distance inwardly of the cutting paths of the bits 55 and 59 of the central boring head 13. The scroll 56 extending in a helical path along the sleeve 50 thus forms spaced peaks 60 and valleys 61 therebetween extending along said sleeve. The linear space between said peaks is greater than the length of the cutter supports 45 and cutter bits 46 projecting forwardly of said cutter supports, to accommodate said cutter supports to move thereinto without interfering with said scroll.

The outer boring heads 12, 12 and the central boring head 13 must thus be driven in timed relation with respect to each other. With the arrangement of boring heads shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the central boring head 13 is driven at twice the speed of rotation of the outer boring heads 12. This not only permits the three boring heads to cut in intersecting paths without interfering with each other but also gives the scroll 56 the speed to progress the material mined by said central boring head and by the two outer boring heads rearwardly along the bore for discharge onto the conveyor 19.

Two motors 65 are provided to drive the three boring heads 12 and 13. As shown in FIGURE 1, the motors 65 are mounted on the main frame and extend along opposite sides of the conveyor 19. Extensible universal drive members 66 are driven from the motors 65 and extend forwardly therefrom and drive pinions 67, 67 journaled in the cutter support 15. The pinions 67 form the drive members for gear trains 69, 69 meshing with and driving a common spur gear 70, keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 51, for driving said shaft. A spur gear 71 on the shaft 51 forms the drive member for gear trains 73, driving the outer boring heads 12 in opposite directions at half the speed of rotation of the central boring head 13.

It may be seen from the foregoing that an improved form of continuous mining machine has been provided in which the capacity of the machine for a given height of machine is increased by the provision of three boring heads, and in which the construction of the machine and efiiciency in operation of the machine is materially simplified by utilizing the central boring head as the means to convey the material mined by the three boring heads to the gathering conveyor of the machine.

It may further be seen that loading of the mined material is attained by providing a relatively large diameter scroll extending from the front cutter bar of the central boring head close to conveyor of the machine and intersecting the paths of travel of the outer boring arms, and by so synchronizing the speeds of the outer boring arms with respect to that of the scroll as to assure the boring arms will move intothe valleys of the scroll as they rotate toward said scroll, and that this not only prevents interference between the boring arms of the scroll but also makes it possible to use a scroll large enough to have sufficient capacity to handle the material mined thereby, as well as the material mined by the outer boring arms.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, a cutter frame mounted on said main frame, two laterally spaced boring heads mounted on said cutter frame and extending in advance thereof, each having at least one boring arm extending radially therefrom having a cutter support on the outer end thereof and projecting forwardly therefrom, upper and lower trimmer bars mounted on said cutter frame behind said boring heads and having a cutter chain movable therealong and spaced apart to guide said cutter chain to out along the floor and roof of a mine, a central boring head between said boring heads including a shaft having a scroll extending rearwardly along said shaft in a helical path and having cutter bits projecting therefrom, the cutter bits on said scroll having a cutting diameter substantially equal to the spacing between said trimmer bars and sufficient to intersect the bores cut by said boring heads, said scroll having spaced peaks sloping inwardly to valleys, and said cutter supports being shorter than the space between said peaks and rotating in timed relation with respect to said scroll to enter and deposit the cuttings in said valleys during the operation of minmg.

2. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame, a cutter frame supported on said main frame in advance thereof, two laterally spaced boring heads rotatably mounted on said cutter frame, each having a diametral boring arm having cutter supports projecting forwardly from opposite ends thereof for cutting from the floor to the roof of a mine, upper and lower trimmer bars supported on said cutter frame rearwardly of said boring heads and having a trimmer chain guided for movement therealong to out along the floor and roof of a mine, a central boring head rotatably mounted on said frame between said outer boring heads and including a shaft extending in advance of said boring heads and cutter supports and having a cutter bar extending across the forward end thereof having cutter bits projecting forwardly therefrom and a scroll extending from said cutter bar along said shaft in a helical path and having longitudinally spaced peaks sloping toward said shaft to form valleys therebetween, the inner margins of which are defined by said shaft, said scroll having cutter bits projecting from the edge thereof and spaced a substantial distance in advance of said boring heads and trimmer bars, the cutting diameters of said cutter bits being substantially equal to the spaces between said trimmer bars and intersected by the cutting paths of said boring heads, and said cutter supports being shorter than the spaces between the sloping portions of said scroll, sloping from said peaks to said valleys and moving into said valleys during rotation of said boring heads with respect to each other and progressing the mined materials to said scroll to be carried away by said scroll, and said scroll being driven at a substantially higher speed than the speed of rotation of said boring heads and sufficient to carry away the cuttings transferred thereto by said boring heads.

3. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame, a conveyor extending rearwardly along said main frame from a position adjacent the ground at the forward end thereof, a cutter frame supported in advance of said frame and having a throat opening to said conveyor, upper and lower trimmer bars mounted on said cutter frame and extending in advance of said throat, a trimmer chain guided for movement along said trimmer bars to cut along the floor and roof of a mine, two rotary boring heads mounted on said cutter frame adjacent opposite sides thereof and including forwardly extending cutter supports having plows on the advance ends thereof for scooping the mined material toward the center of the machine in a direction toward said throat, a central boring head mounted on said cutter frame in axial alignment with the center of said throat and including a shaft extending from said cutter frame a substantial distance in advance of said boring heads and cutter supports and having a scroll extending therealong in a helical path from the forward end of said shaft rearwardly beyond the rear ends of said cutter supports to a position closely adjacent said throat and having cutter bits projecting from the edge thereof of a cutting diameter substantially equal to the distance between said trimmer bars, said scroll with said shaft having spaced peaks having sloping surfaces sloping from said peaks toward said shaft to form valleys therebetween, the distance between said peaks being less than the length of said cutter supports, said scroll having the capacity to carry away its own cuttings and the cuttings of said boring heads, and said boring heads and cutter support-s being driven in predetermined timed relation with respect to each other to successively move said cutter supports into the spaces between said peaks and cut in intersecting relation with respect to the bore cut by said central boring head and effect the progression of the material mined by said central boring head and said outer boring heads, supplied to said scroll by said plows, toward said conveyor.

4. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame having a conveyor extending therealong from a position adjacent the ground at the forward end thereof, a cutter frame supported in advance of said main frame and having a throat opening to said conveyor, two outer rotary boring heads mounted on said cutter frame for rotation about axes extending longitudinally of said main frame adjacent opposite sides of said cutter frame and having forwardly projecting cutter supports having cutter bits projecting forwardly therefrom, a central boring head rotatably mounted on said main frame between said outer boring heads for rotation about an axis parallel to the axes of rotation of said outer boring heads and including a shaft extending from said cutter frame to a position in advance of the forward ends of the cutter bits carried by said cutter supports and having a cutter bar extending across the forward end thereof having cutter bits projecting forwardly therefrom, a scroll of substantially the same outer diameter as said bar extending along said shaft from said cutter bar in a helical path and sloping toward said shaft to define at least two peaks and a valley therebetween, said cutter supports having scrapers on the advance sides thereof pitched to advance the mined material to said scroll and being shorter than the space between said peaks and cutting in overlapping relation with respect to the cutting paths of scroll and moving into the valley between two peaks each cycle of rotation thereof, the cutting diameter of said scroll being substantially equal to the space between said trimmer bars, and said scroll being driven at a higher rate of speed than the speed of travel of said boring heads and having a conveying capacity sufficient to convey its own mined material and the material mined by said boring heads and advanced to said scroll by said scrapers to said conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,750,175 Cartlidge June 12, 1956 2,818,241 Hagenbook Dec. 31, 1957 2,923,537 Wilcox Feb. 2, 1960 2,940,740 Adams June 14, 1960 

1. IN A CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE, A MAIN FRAME, A CUTTER FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME, TWO LATERALLY SPACED BORING HEADS MOUNTED ON SAID CUTTER FRAME AND EXTENDING IN ADVANCE THEREOF, EACH HAVING AT LEAST ONE BORING ARM EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM HAVING A CUTTER SUPPORT ON THE OUTER END THEREOF AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY THEREFROM, UPPER AND LOWER TRIMMER BARS MOUNTED ON SAID CUTTER FRAME BEHIND SAID BORING HEADS AND HAVING A CUTTER CHAIN MOVABLE THEREALONG AND SPACED APART TO GUIDE SAID CUTTER CHAIN TO CUT ALONG THE FLOOR AND ROOF OF A MINE, A CENTRAL BORING HEAD BETWEEN SAID BORING HEADS INCLUDING A SHAFT HAVING A SCROLL EXTENDING REARWARDLY ALONG SAID SHAFT IN A HELICAL PATH AND HAVING CUTTER BITS PROJECTING THEREFROM, THE CUTTER BITS ON SAID SCROLL HAVING A CUTTING DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID TRIMMER BARS AND SUFFICIENT TO INTERSECT THE BORES CUT BY SAID BORING HEADS, SAID SCROLL HAVING SPACED PEAKS SLOPING INWARDLY TO VALLEYS, AND SAID CUTTER SUPPORTS BEING SHORTER THAN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID PEAKS AND ROTATING IN TIMED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SCROLL TO ENTER AND DEPOSIT THE CUTTINGS IN SAID VALLEYS DURING THE OPERATION OF MINING. 